Sunday, March 4, 2018

2017 Recap - The Performances


In 2017, I watched more movies than I ever have in a single year which means there are tons of actors and actresses I could choose from to make this list. The most important things to me in my decision making process was how memorable and how affecting the performances were. You may not have heard of some of the people or the movies they are in because they are from film festivals or limited releases so I am hoping u have a chance to see them at some point.

Below, you will find a list of the actors and actresses who stood out to me as having turned in the most entertaining and enjoyable performances of the year including a couple of special categories to start. These amazing actresses and actors come from all over the world including Cambodia, Thailand, South Korea, Sweden, China, and Argentina.

 Tracy Letts and Laurie Metcalf are exactly the parents you grew up loving, hating, arguing with, enjoying life with, and wishing you could run away from while wanting to spend every moment under their watchful guidance. - Full Review - Lady Bird


To bring the character to life while turning in a commanding performance that is as gritty and emotionally affecting as anything else out there is no small feat and he does it better than anyone else in the business. - Full Review - War for the Planet of the Apes


The dialog is brilliant and the back and forth wordplay between Chastain and Elba is such a treat to watch unfold. - Full Review - Molly's Game


You could fill an awards ballot with the just the names from this movie and it would be a worthy list. Definitely the most enjoyable and complete cast of the last year. - Full Review - The Shape of Water



From interview with Jenny Slate during the 2017 Seattle International Film Festival:
A lot of the movie's comedy comes from Dana's unique energy. How do you know when to push that comedic envelope and do you ever feel like you are going too far?

We don't have a lot of time to make these movies so, for each scene, I have a general idea of what should be happening and, if something doesn't feel right, I have learned to adjust quickly. I trust Gillian as a director to create boundaries for me to sort of bounce around in. I trust myself and I trust her enough for me to be completely uninhibited in those moments.

Full Interview


Most Entertaining Performances of 2017

This is some of the best work you will ever see from Hathaway.


There's subtle things he does with the character that are just downright unnerving and you just can't take your eyes off of him...at least until he's scaring you out of your socks.


Chen Chang plays the assassin with a calm, smoldering energy that instantly reminds me of Clint Eastwood in his "Man with No Name" roles.


Chutimon, a model from Thailand who also goes by Aokbab, absolutely owns the screen with a fearless personality and a range of emotion that is pretty freaking impressive.


Inside all of the chaos, disorder, metaphor, allegory, and symbolism, there are some really brilliant acting performances from both Lawrence and Bardem.


Jessica Rothe absolutely kills it (pun intended) and comes away with one of the most entertaining performances of the year, in any genre.


Kim Ok-bin is absolutely fantastic in the lead role and she easily carries the film from beginning to end. Her presence on screen is what ultimately sells the character.


Leonardo Sbaraglia, a very highly respected actor in Argentina, delivers a powerful performance that accentuates the duality that desperation can bring out of a human being.


Watching her in Lady Bird is a pure delight and she more than proves how talented she is thanks to what is probably the best material she has had to work with to date.


Sareum Srey Moch shows off an incredible talent for such a young actress.


He adds just the right amount of humor to his character and you really believe in this former military man who has struggled with raising his daughter after losing his wife to illness.


My Favorite Performances of 2017


To say that Gal Gadot exceeded even my hopeful expectations would be a horrible understatement. From the first moment we see her on screen, she absolutely and perfectly embodies the spirit and essence of who Wonder Woman is. She has strength, she has compassion, she has curiosity, she has love, and she has an unwavering sense of duty and purpose. For being just a model who is too short and too skinny to play the role, Gadot gets every single moment right, from comedy to rage, and she displays a talent level and range that even I had never expected to be there. - Full Review



At the very center of all the creepiness and tension in this movie is James McAvoy who plays the antagonist, a man who has 23 (maybe 24?) distinct personalities, including a few who are working together on a very evil plan. It's rare that we get to see this kind of work and he handles every moment of it brilliantly while creating a truly frightening experience. - Full Review


Thank you for reading and please check out my other 2017 recap posts.




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